Prof. Boerner's Explorations

Edited by Gerald Boerner

Commentary:

Today is the anniversary of one of the major Supreme Court decisions of the 20th century — Roe v. Wade. In this decision, the high court ruled that first and second trimester abortions are legal; this gave women of child-bearing age the choice option of having a child or not. This decision was based on the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process clause.

A Balancing Test was included so the state could exercise its rights to protect the health of the mother and potential fetus during the second trimester of pregnancy. During the first trimester, the decision was between the woman and her doctor. Thus, there was a balancing of the rights of both the mother and potential child.

This decision gave women, especially the less affluent women, the same real options that had been available to more affluent ones all along. In the United States, this has worked out reasonably well in reasonable times among reasonable people. But, as often is the case, when sectarian religious beliefs and value enter the debate, reason takes a vacation. That has produced many clashes resulting in the destruction of property and deaths in many cases.

We need to keep in mind the legal context and avoid unproductive emotional responses. It should behoove us to remember that in other parts of the world abortion is used to produce male offspring through selective abortions based on the sex of the fetus.

Let’s get today’s exploration started…  GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 4249 Words ]

Quotations Related to ABORTION:

“Abortion is a question of choice.”
— Robert Casey

“Ban partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life.”
— Jerry Weller

“For almost twenty years, abortion policy in America has been controlled by the courts.”
— Robert Casey

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Edited by Gerald Boerner

Commentary:

Following the end of World War II, attention was focused on the Nuremburg War Crime Trials and the rebuilding of Europe. The clouds of the Cold War fell upon Eastern Europe with the establishment of the so-called “Iron Curtain.” In this country, this was associated with the search for communist spies embedded in the governmental bureaucracy; this created a fear of espionage by these spies forwarding our defense plans to our Cold War opponents, the U.S.S.R.

Within Congress, two separate investigative bodies emerged to study espionage within the Executive Branch. The Senate established the Senate Committee on Government Operations under the leadership of Joseph McCarthy, His vigorous search for communists was branded “McCarthyism”. In the House, on the other hand, the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) which was much less over-zealous. HUAC would continue into the 1960s.

Alger Hiss was a featured case that was held out as an example of a spy within the State Department. The investigation lasted so long that the Statute of Limitations had run out and Hiss was finally convicted on perjury charges. After he served his sentence in prison, evidence was found defining possible governmental misconduct in the case.

We look back at this period with mixed feelings. Yes, there were probably spies within the government that reported to Soviet handlers. But our CIA also had spies embedded in the Soviet bureaucracy!

The exploration is again afoot; let’s proceed with our adventure…  GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

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Quotations Related to ESPIONAGE:

“McCarthyism is Americanism with its sleeves rolled.”
— Joseph R. McCarthy

“I’m sort of fascinated by the whole espionage crime thing.”
— Aaron Eckhart

“I am amazed; until the day I die I shall wonder how Whittaker Chambers got into my house to use my typewriter.”
— Alger Hiss

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Edited by Gerald Boerner

Commentary:

In recent history, world events have become front row attractions on the big screen of our homes — during our evening TV viewing. It began with the live broadcasts of the daily body counts from Vietnam. It continued during the Iran Hostage Crisis with the advent of ABC’s “Nightline” with its daily updates of what was (and was NOT) happening to the status of these 66 Americans. And, in my opinion, reached its peak during the first Gulf War when the action went on all night long. Our news feeds were continuous!

In this day of Twitter and Facebook, when we are updated by every move our friends as they get on with their exciting lives, we are over-informed of happenings that we may not really care about. But what’s the problem with that? We sometimes lose perspective on the important things that are going on. Furthermore, we are inundated by superficial fact rather than by the background context and principles involved.

On today’s topic, the Iran Hostage Crisis, it is very important to consider what prompted the Islamic Revolution in Iran in the first place. Our CIA put The Shah of Iran on the throne in 1941; he, of course, steered a course favorable to the west. He modernized his country over the objections of the conservative Islamic clerics. He spent the country’s money on westernizing Iran. He treated his opponents ruthlessly for the many years of his reign. When he fell ill and could only be treated in American medical centers, but when he was, the militant students took their displeasure out on our Embassy.

We suffered from the years of abuse of the Shah. Eventually the hostages were released after Ronald Reagan was sworn in as President. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. But we apparently learn our lesson very well; we are locked into another battle of wits over the atomic developments in Iran. Here we go again!

But let’s get going with our exploration of The Iran Hostage Crisis…  GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 4337 Words ]

Quotations Related to HOSTAGES:

“I have a wife, I have sons: all of them hostages given to fate.”
— Lucan

“In fact, this is a blackmail of the terrorists at the expense of the suffering of the hostages.”
— Alberto Fujimori

“He that hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune; for they are impediments to great enterprises, either of virtue or mischief.”
— Francis Bacon

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Edited by Gerald Boerner

Commentary:

Several sports emerged during the latter part of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. In the United States, we saw the emergence of basketball, baseball, (American) football, and ice hockey. In France, sport of long-distance bicycle racing; the grand-daddy of these races was Le Tour de France. Unlike the American sports that emerged for their fitness benefits, the Tour de France emerged in 1903 for commercial, not fitness, purposes.

As we summarized in a recent posting, the Dreyfus Affair at the end of the 19th century resulted in powerful groups aligning themselves into opposing camps. This created a field day for the French newspapers, including L’Auto. When the excitement started fading, so did circulation. To boost circulation, editor Henri Desgrange and sports journalist Géo Lefèvre proposed “the greatest cycling trial,” Le Tour de France.

Desgrange basically created this sporting event from nothing. The real purpose, to sell newspapers! Le Tour de France was almost canceled after the second year, but it gained momentum. It is now the premiere bicycle race, eclipsing even the the Olympic bicycle events.

So, let’s get this show on the road and explore the history of the Tour de France…  GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 3990 Words ]

Quotations Related to BICYCLE:

“A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.”
— Gloria Steinem

“Life is like a ten speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use.”
— Charles M. Schulz

“One of the most important days of my life was when I learned to ride a bicycle.”
— Michael Palin

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Edited by Gerald Boerner

Commentary:

The early 20th century was a time of innovation and discovery. History records the Wright Brothers first flight, Ford’s Model T from an assembly line, new weapons of warfare, and, oh yeah, the exploration of the last frontiers on our planet — the North Pole, the South Pole, and the dark continent of Africa. We explore the quest of the South Pole today. It was not to require only navigational skill, but these explorers were confronted by the elements of nature, such as winds, extreme cold, and unpredictable snow packs. They faced not a land mass, but a continent with a “frosting” of glacial ice!.

The discovery of Antarctica and the South Pole captured the energies of the adventurers: Ernest Shackleton, Roald Amundsen, and Robert Falcon Scott. The latter is the focus of this blog posting.

Scott was not the first explorer to reach the South Pole. Amundsen beat him on that front. But Scott’s team did reach the pole. And they met the same fate on their return trip. In fact, they discovered the last camp of the Amundsen expedition before they too met their fate. It is a cruel and hard world out their!

So, let’s get on with our own journey of exploration…  GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 3740 Words ]
    

Quotations Related to ROBERT FALCON SCOTT:

“Slowly but surely the sea is freezing over.”
— Robert Falcon Scott

“We are very near the end, but have not and will not lose our good cheer.”
— Robert Falcon Scott

“The dog lives for the day, the hour, even the moment.”
— Robert Falcon Scott

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Edited by Gerald Boerner

Commentary:

When those of us on the Pacific coast make a periodic trek to the Hawaiian Islands, we are fascinated by the fields of pineapple and sugar cane as well as the the big Luaus put on at most major hotels. Most visitors are very unaware of the rich native Hawaiian culture that was pre-existing before the landing by Captain Cook. This culture was as rich as we would have found in the ancient world.

But there was a problem. It was perceived to be primitive compared to the so-called societies of Western Europe. It was seen as a society that needed to be “saved”; just think f Michener’s book and the movie based upon it. And besides that, they were “wasting” all that fertile soil!

Foreigners settled on the islands and started to plant their crops. And we all know what happened to the Native American societies that were subdued during the westward expansion. The Native Hawaiian Culture was expendable. Under the oversight of Sanford Dole usurped the Hawaiian culture with his focus on the needs of the planters. This eventually led to the Overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, through becoming a territory to becoming the 50th state.

So, it’s time once again to explore this fascinating event in our history: the end of the Hawaiian Monarchy…  GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 4201 Words ]
    

Quotations Related to HAWAII:

“Hawaii can be heaven and it can be hell.”
— Jeff Goldblum

“Hawaii is not a state of mind, but a state of grace.”
— Paul Theroux

“I’m of Filipino, Spanish, and Chinese descent, and was raised on Hawaii.”
— Tia Carrere

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Edited by Gerald Boerner

Commentary:

We switch gears today by directing our attention to that wonderful American dream of all men going through their midlife crises — the Chevrolet Corvette! This marks the day in 1953 on which that first three-speed, six cylinder modern American sports car. It was introduced by General Motors as a concept car. And what a concept that was. It became the dream car of every red-blooded male in my high school. It really cae into its own in 1957 when it was not just equipped with a powerful V-8 engine, but also sported an eye-tickling body design.

Over the years this car has been redesigned and improved in six phases. We have included several photos of the various models, but you will find many more in the source articles. Enjoy it and may it partially sate your dreams of riding down the highway in style.

So, let’s move on with our exploration…  GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 3551 Words ]
    

Quotations Related to CORVETTE:

“It respects the fantastic designs that Corvette has had over the years.”
— David Hill

“I chose this over Corvettes and 20-year-old blondes. My wife was happy I did.”
— Charles Powell

“If you’re looking for an H2, that’s a person looking for a Corvette, … It’s not like they’re looking for an H2 and leaving with a Cherokee.”
— Kevin Cox

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Edited by Gerald Boerner

Commentary:

The college Bowl games are past and a National Champion has been crowned. The Sunday afternoon quarterbacks are now watching and waiting for the Big Game, the Super Bowl. Today we go back to that initial Super Bowl held at the Los Angeles Coliseum on this day in 1967. The NFC champions, the Green Bay Packers under their legendary coach Vince Lombardi, faced the “upstart” AFC champions, the Kansas City Chiefs under the coaching of Hank Stram.

Green bay dominated the second half to pull out a victory for the NFC. But the game demonstrated that the AFC teams from the former American Football League were worthy opponents for the established National Football League. Thirty years and as many Super Bowl games have passed since that first encounter in sunny Southern California. We now watch the game on our color HDTVs with our buddies in our living rooms that have been transformed into “man caves” for the day!

At that first Super Bowl, the ticket prices os a few dozen dollars paled in the face of today prices of hundreds of dollars. Commercial spot sell for big bucks too, and for a 30 second spot. And even then these commercials almost need to win their own lottery to make it to the air! But, this is progress, I guess.

I would suggest that you take a few minutes to read and ponder the words of Vince Lombardi; he may have been a tough, hard-driving coach, but he has some real words of wisdom for us all.

So, exploration time is here again. Let’s get started…  GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 3960 Words ]

Quotations Related to VINCE LOMBARDI:

“Confidence is contagious. So is lack of confidence.”
— Vince Lombardi

“Fatigue makes cowards of us all.”
— Vince Lombardi

“If winning isn’t everything, why do they keep score?”
— Vince Lombardi

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Edited by Gerald Boerner

Commentary:

Today marks the anniversary of the first trip of a U.S. President being transported in an airplane while in office. What was the occasion? FDR was travelling to North Africa to meet with Winston Churchill at the Casablanca Conference in 1943. This conference would make several decisions related to the conduct by the Allies of World War II. Probably the most important of these was the decision to invade Sicily and Italy before landing troops in the north of France.

The Invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was planned for July, 1943. This was to be a joint effort by British and American troops under the leadership of Montgomery and Patton, respectively. The antagonism between these two generals would foreshadow the conflict between the two during Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy during the D-Day landings. General Dwight D. Eisenhower was the Commander-in-Chief during both operations. It is to Eisenhower’s credit that he was able to get these two “head-strong” leaders to work in basic harmony.

Not discussed at the Casablanca Conference, but important to the success of Operation Husky. This was the deception scheme incorporated into Operation Mincemeat. This involved using a dead body carrying fictitious letters to North African leaders. This body, a “Major William Martin,” was a man with a carefully created life who was to wash up on the Spanish shore with the intent that the German spy machine flourishing in Spain during 1943. If the Germans believed the deception, which they did, would save lives during the invasion of Sicily.

Now is the time to proceed with our exploration of this Allied conference…  GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 3813 Words ]
    

Quotations Related to STRATEGY:

“A country’s strategy is always based on a fundamental philosophical outlook.”
— Marc Forne Molne

“Accountability in friendship is the equivalent of love without strategy.”
— Anita Brookner

“Change is not a destination, just as hope is not a strategy.”
— Rudy Giuliani

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Edited by Gerald Boerner

Commentary:

I enjoy country music, but especially love some of the classic performers. Johnny Cash is one of those performers. Who can forget songs like “A Boy Named Sue”, “I Walk the Line”, or “Ring of Fire”. And what about those Highwaymen! They put on some HOT tracks. But today marks the anniversary of his 1968 concert at California’s Folsom State Prison where he started out with “Folsom Prison Blues” first recorded in 1955.

As with many artists and musicians, Cash fought an ongoing battle with drugs, alcohol, and addiction. That addiction and his touring schedule doomed his first marriage. His marriage to June Carter provided stability on both the personal and performance levels. They recorded many wonderful duets. In our present society, there are undoubtedly some lessons that could be learned from Johnny Cash’s struggles with addiction; I see this played our in young adults all too often.

Thanks for the great body of work the Johnny Cash has bequeathed us from his lifetime of performing and recording. I love listening to my CD collection of Cash’s music and with others of his generation. Such a legacy is to be treasured and enjoyed. I hope that you will take some time to reflect on those performers, in whatever your favorite genre, that give you pleasure.

But now we need to get down to the exploration at hand…  GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 3933 Words ]
    

Quotations Related to JOHNNY CASH:

“For you I know I’d even try to turn the tide.”
— Johnny Cash

“Success is having to worry about every damn thing in the world, except money.”
— Johnny Cash

“Sometimes I am two people. Johnny is the nice one. Cash causes all the trouble. They fight.”
— Johnny Cash

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